Keto Weight Loss: What Really Works?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that has gained popularity among those looking to lose weight and improve their health. While the keto diet can be effective for weight loss, it must be implemented correctly to reap its benefits. Here are some tips to help you lose weight on the keto diet:

- Ensure you are consuming the correct number of carbs. To reach and maintain ketosis, a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose, you need to reduce your carbohydrate intake. Typically, this means limiting carbs to 30-50 grams per day, or 5%-10% of your total calories.

- Focus on nutritious, whole foods. Avoid relying on processed foods, even if they are keto-friendly, as they can hinder weight loss. Instead, opt for unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods such as full-fat dairy, eggs, fish, meat, poultry, and healthy fats like avocado and olive oil.

- Create a calorie deficit. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. Be mindful of your portion sizes, as it is possible to consume too many calories on the keto diet due to the high-calorie content of foods like avocados, nuts, and olive oil.

- Manage stress and get adequate sleep. Research shows that chronic stress and lack of sleep can negatively impact weight loss. Stress increases cortisol levels, encouraging your body to store fat. Additionally, lack of sleep can disrupt hunger-regulating hormones, leading to increased appetite.

- Increase physical activity. Incorporating exercise into your lifestyle is crucial for weight loss on the keto diet. It stimulates fat loss, builds muscle, and boosts your metabolism. Aim for three to four days of exercise per week, focusing on compound exercises such as bench presses, deadlifts, and squats.

- Be mindful of underlying medical issues. If you are struggling to lose weight despite your efforts, consider ruling out any medical conditions that may hinder weight loss, such as hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), or depression.

- Manage your expectations. Remember that weight loss varies from person to person, and it's normal to want fast results. However, small, consistent changes are key to losing and maintaining weight healthily. Aim for a loss of 1-3 pounds per week, as this is generally considered a safe and sustainable rate.

- Avoid constant snacking. While snacking on healthy keto foods can prevent hunger and overeating, consuming too many high-calorie snacks like nuts, cheese, or jerky may cause a weight loss plateau. Opt for lower-calorie options like non-starchy vegetables or proteins to keep you full without the extra calories.

Eat more calories than you burn

If you want to lose weight on keto, you need to be in a calorie deficit. This means that you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. However, if you want to maintain your weight or gain weight, you need to eat more calories than you burn. Here are some tips to help you eat more calories than you burn while on the keto diet:

• Determine your calorie needs: Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) using an online calculator or consult a dietitian to determine your calorie needs. This will give you an idea of how many calories you need to consume to maintain your current weight.
• Increase portion sizes: If you are already eating keto-friendly foods, try increasing your portion sizes slightly. This will help you consume more calories without increasing your carb intake.
• Choose calorie-dense foods: Prioritize calorie-dense foods such as fatty cuts of meat, full-fat dairy, nuts, and healthy oils like avocado oil or olive oil. These foods provide a higher number of calories per gram, making it easier to increase your calorie intake.
• Incorporate healthy snacks: Include healthy, high-calorie snacks throughout your day. Options such as nuts, nut butter, cheese, jerky, or keto fat bombs can help you increase your calorie intake without sacrificing nutrition.
• Be mindful of your macros: Ensure that you are still meeting your macronutrient goals while increasing your calorie intake. Use a macro-tracking app like MyFitnessPal to monitor your carb, protein, and fat intake and make adjustments as needed.
• Consider your activity level: If you are physically active, you may need to increase your calorie intake to fuel your workouts and support muscle growth. Adjust your calorie intake based on your activity level and fitness goals.
• Gradually increase carbs: If you have been following a strict keto diet, you can try gradually increasing your carb intake while still prioritizing healthy, whole-food sources. This will provide more variety in your diet and allow for a higher calorie intake.
• Focus on nutrient-dense foods: While increasing your calorie intake, continue to prioritize nutrient-dense foods such as fatty fish, avocados, eggs, and low-carb vegetables. This will ensure that you are getting a sufficient amount of essential vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.
• Listen to your body: Pay attention to your hunger cues and adjust your portions or meal frequency accordingly. If you feel like you need more food, add an extra snack or increase the size of your meals.
• Consider intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting can be a useful tool for weight maintenance. It involves eating within a specific time window, allowing for more flexibility and freedom with your meals. This can help you manage your calorie intake while still enjoying satisfying meals.

Eat nutritious, whole foods

Eating nutritious, whole foods is an important part of a healthy weight loss journey, and this is no different when following a keto diet. Here are some tips to ensure you're eating nutritious, whole foods while on the keto diet:

• Focus on nutrient-dense foods: Choose high-quality protein sources such as meat, low-carb vegetables, and low-sugar fruits. Emphasise fatty cuts of meat, oily or fatty fish, and high-fat, low-carb dairy products.
• Prioritise nutrient-dense calories: For example, 500 calories from an avocado and three eggs are more nutritious than 500 calories from white rice.
• Include plenty of vegetables: Add non-starchy vegetables like greens, broccoli, peppers, and mushrooms to your dishes. If you're increasing your carb intake, opt for starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and root vegetables.
• Choose healthy fats: Avocado, olive oil, nuts, dark chocolate (85% or above), and plant and animal fats are all good choices.
• Consider intermittent fasting: This can help with weight maintenance by naturally limiting the amount of food you eat.
• Be mindful of portion sizes: Even when eating nutritious, whole foods, it's possible to consume too many calories, so pay attention to portion sizes.
• Prepare your own meals: This way, you know exactly what you're putting into your body and can ensure you're getting a variety of nutrients.
• Avoid processed foods: Processed snacks, fast food, and convenience foods are often high in calories and low in nutrients, which can hinder weight loss.
• Plan your meals: This will help you stay on track and make healthier choices.
• Listen to your body: Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full. This can help you maintain a healthy relationship with food.

Manage stress and get enough sleep

Stress and sleep are two critical factors that can impact your weight loss journey on a keto diet. Research shows that stress, especially chronic stress, and lack of sleep can negatively affect weight loss.

When your body is stressed, it produces excess amounts of a hormone called cortisol, often known as the stress hormone. Elevated levels of cortisol can encourage your body to store fat, especially in the belly area. Additionally, those who are chronically stressed are often sleep-deprived, which has also been linked to weight gain.

• Engage in relaxation techniques: Find activities that help you relax and unwind, such as reading, listening to music, stretching, or taking a shower. Incorporating these activities into your bedtime routine can prepare your body for sleep by lowering your heart rate, reducing tension, and calming your mind.
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule: Stick to a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at approximately the same time every day. This helps to regulate your body's sleep-wake cycle and improve your overall sleep quality.
• Create a comfortable sleep environment: Ensure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and relaxing. Consider using blackout curtains or a sleep mask if your room is too bright. Keep your room cool, as a temperature between 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for promoting sleep.
• Limit screen time before bed: Reduce the amount of time spent on electronic devices before bedtime. The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with your sleep by suppressing melatonin production and delaying your body's internal clock.
• Address underlying medical issues: If you're experiencing chronic stress or difficulty sleeping, consider ruling out any underlying medical issues that may be contributing to these problems. Conditions such as hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), Cushing's syndrome, depression, or hyperinsulinemia (high insulin levels) can impact both stress levels and sleep quality.
• Practise stress management techniques: Implement stress management tools such as deep breathing, yoga, or therapy to help reduce stress and improve your overall well-being. Managing stress effectively can have a positive impact on your sleep and weight loss journey.

Exercise regularly

Exercise is an important part of any weight loss journey, and it is no different when it comes to the keto diet. Incorporating physical activity into your lifestyle will not only help you lose weight but also provide numerous health benefits. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Create a workout schedule: Consistency is key when it comes to exercise. Create a workout schedule that you can stick to, aiming for three to four days a week. Choose a time of day that works best for you, whether it's in the morning, afternoon, or evening.
• Start with compound exercises: Compound exercises work multiple muscle groups at the same time, making them efficient and effective. Focus on exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, overhead presses, and rows. If you're new to working out, consider starting with bodyweight exercises like air squats, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, push-ups, and pull-ups.
• Incorporate cardio: In addition to strength training, include some cardio exercises such as walking, swimming, or cycling. These activities can help improve your cardiovascular health and burn calories.
• Increase intensity gradually: Start with moderate-intensity exercises and gradually increase the intensity as you build strength and endurance. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be an effective way to boost weight loss, but it's important to build up to it slowly to avoid injury.
• Build muscle: Building muscle can help increase your metabolism, as muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. Incorporate strength training exercises that target multiple muscle groups to promote muscle growth.
• Consider resistance training: If you're looking to build muscle and improve strength, consider incorporating resistance training into your routine. This can include exercises such as squats, lunges, push-ups, and pull-ups.
• Make it a habit: The key to seeing results from exercise is to make it a regular part of your routine. Find exercises that you enjoy and that fit your lifestyle, and stick with them. Over time, you'll develop a healthy exercise habit that will benefit your weight loss journey.
• Manage stress and get enough sleep: Stress and lack of sleep can impact your weight loss efforts. Aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night and find ways to manage stress, such as through meditation or yoga. This will help keep your body and mind in optimal condition for weight loss.

Eat more protein

Eating more protein is an important part of the keto diet, especially if you're looking to build muscle. When following a keto diet, it's recommended to keep your carbohydrate intake between 30 to 50 grams per day, which can lead to weight loss and improve heart health and blood sugar control. However, it's important to ensure you're consuming enough calories and not creating too much of a calorie deficit, as this can hinder your muscle-building goals.

• Include a variety of meat cuts in your diet, such as bacon, beef ribs, chicken with skin, pork belly, and sausages.
• Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies are excellent sources of protein and omega-3 fats.
• Eggs are nutrient-dense and perfect for healthy weight gain due to their high fat, protein, vitamin, and mineral content.
• Dairy products like full-fat cheese, yogurt, and milk are nutritious and energy-dense, making them great for weight gain.
• Beans, tofu, chicken, fish, and lean cuts of red meat are excellent sources of lean protein, which can help increase the thermic effect of food.
• Consider using protein supplements like whey protein powder to boost your daily protein intake.

Remember, when increasing your protein intake, it's important to maintain a balanced diet and not exceed your daily calorie needs. Additionally, ensure that you're still meeting your healthy fat and low-carb vegetable intake requirements while on the keto diet.

Frequently asked questions